Sing for Their Supper - 55

 

The next week was non-stop as the cast and crew got ready for opening night. The man Norm had found to do the lighting was already settled in at a nearby motel.

 

His name was Archie—"not the boxer"—Moore. When he told the kids that, he got puzzled looks in return and had to spend ten minutes telling them about Archie Moore, who had been the longest reigning Light Heavyweight world champion of all time. As soon as he'd finished, he got to work checking out the lights Norm had borrowed from a local theater. After he'd watched a rehearsal, he began setting up the lighting for the show.

 

The tech rehearsal—lighting and all—went fairly smoothly, since the cast had already been working with the bridge-slash-Brownlow-house interior for the last several days.

 

Peg's assistants had their hands full during the costume rehearsal as they taught the girls how to change from one outfit to another when they went from workhouse boys to Charlotte or Mrs. Sowerberry to members of Fagin's gang. DJ and Evie got Peg's exclusive attention with their changes until she knew they had them down cold. As Roma only had one costume, she had nothing to worry about.

 

Starting in the middle of the afternoon, they ran through the show a second time while Peg took notes on minor alterations that needed to be done. It was well after eight that evening when everyone was let go; with Tuck's order to the cast that they were to eat supper then get to bed.

 

"I want you alert and ready for the next two days. The final, full-out rehearsals with all the bells and whistles."

 

Those happened, and with the exception of a few minor problems that were easily solved, went perfectly.

 

Then it was opening night.

 

*****

 

"I'm scared," Evie said as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. "I just know I'm going to screw up and ruin the whole show."

 

"No you are not," Roma replied firmly, patting her shoulder. "That's my job." She winked at the girls.

 

"You? Never," Evie protested. "You're the best person in the show. Well, other than DJ."

 

"I sense a bit of partiality there," Jolie said.

 

"Maybe?" Evie took a deep breath. "We're all great and this is going to be fantastic."

 

"You better believe it," Peg told her as she finished helping Roma do her hair. She'd volunteered to do that and assist with makeup for opening night. "After that," she'd warned them, "you're on your own."

 

Roma rubbed her hands together, studying herself in the mirror. She almost wished she'd let Peg add a row of lace to the low-cut bodice of her costume. What had been fine during rehearsals now seemed almost risqué when she thought about facing a live audience. It's not. It really isn't. It's just nerves. I should know better than to be uptight. I faced people every day on the piano plaza, but then I was a lot more covered up.

 

As if sensing her worry, Fran said, "You look beautiful and sexy and you're the perfect Nancy."

 

"Thank you." Roma smiled, looking at the girls. "We're all beautiful. Well, not sure beautiful works when you all look like grungy, hungry boys, but…"

 

Everyone laughed and their tensions eased—somewhat.